Engine-starting apparatus



1,640,758 Augm 30, 1927. G- W ELSEY ENGINE STAR'IILNG- APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 314 uenfoo Aug 30, 1927. 3

G. w. ELSEY ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25. 1924 71 4 I; I: 75 7 7 74 l 6/ w 42 7/ A 5 20 4230 L Li M555.

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thereby producing a noise which Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

GEORGE W. ELSEY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS.

Application filed Septemlier 25, 1924. Serial at. 739,954.

This invention, relates to starting apparatus for internal combustion engines andpar- ;icu1arly to the type of apparatus which includes a pinion normally disconnected from an electric motor for drivpinion gear and for closing the motor switch. The pinion is threadedly connected with a spirally-splined shaft driven by the motor, and means are provided for automatically disconnecting the pedal or other control device from the pinion so that the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative. In starters of this type' the pinion is not always fully in mesh with the engine 'gear when'the electric motor starts, consequently the pinion is' quickly threaded into complete driving engagement with the en- This rapid gine by operation of the motor.

movement of the pinion is arrested suddenly by the pin1on striking against the stop, might be considered objectionable by some automobile drivers. 1 i g It is one of the objects of the present invention to cushion the endwise movement of the pinion in order to reduce the amount -0 noise attendant upon the engine-starting operation.

In starting devices employing a'spirallysplined or screw-threaded driving conne tion between the motor and pin1on there is A a tendency for the pinion to become partly demeshed from the engine gear during the cranking operation. This is due to variations in torque required for cranking the engine. The present invention aims to overcome this diflicultyby providing meanswhich not only cushions the endwise movement of the pinion into engagementwith the engine gear, but also tends to prevent partial demeshment of the pinion during the cranking operation. I

Further objects present invention will'be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings, wherein preferredforms o the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings: Figs. 1 and 2 are fragmentary of a form of starting apparatus e side views bodyif vided with a and advantages of the ing a spirally-splined portion 23 and a journal portion 24. The journal 24 is supported by a bearing 25 carried by the gear housing 26 to which the field frame 20 is attached. The spiral splines23 are threadedly engaged by a motor pinion 27 adapted to move into engagement with and to drive a gear 28 provided by the flywheel of the engme.

A pinion-shifting apparatus which is permanently connected with the pinion includes a bifurcated lever 30 mounted on a rod 31 which is supported by the gear housing 26. Lever 30 engages the flanges 32 and 33 of a sleeve 34, to which is connected a cupshaped member 35 secured to a second cupshaped member 36 which includes a flange 37 which is notched to receive the teeth of the pinion 27. The hub of pinion 27 is prothre'aded portion 38 of less diameter than the internal diameter of the notched flange 37. A nut 39 engages portion 38 and rovides a stop abutting the notched flange 3 thereby limiting theseparation of the pinion 27 from the sleeve 34. A spring 40 interposed between the member 35 and the nut 39 tends to maintain the nut 39 in engagement with the flange 37. The

pinion 27 is maintained normally out of contact with the gear 28 by spring 41, having one end 42 resting upon the frame 20, an intermediate portion encircling the rod 31 and an end 43 engaging lever 30.

The motor frame 20 supports a starting switch including an. actuating plunger 51 normally maintained in contact-open position by spring 52. Means for closing the switch and for actuating the pinion-shifting lever '30-, includes a pedal 53 connected by rod 54 with a lever 55 pivotally supported bythe rod 31. Pedal 53 is normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1. by spring 56 interposed between the pedal53 and a cup-shaped member 57 attached to the" the the yoke 44 of the end againstvthe yoke 61 and at the otherv end against a stud 65, serves normally to hold the latch arms 62 in engagement with the arms of the lever 30.

Means for disconnecting the pedal from the pinion-shifting lever 30 includes a bracket 70 attached by screws 71 to the mo- .tor frame 20' (see Fig. 4). Bracket 70 supports a pin 72 which pivotally supports ears 73 of a latch throw-out plate 74. Plate 74 is located in the path of movement of the latch yoke 61 and is urged toward yoke 61 by a coiled spring 75 surrounding the pin 72, bearthe end faces of the flywheel gear'teeth as ing atone end against a stationary part and atthe other end against the throw-out 74, as indicated at 7 6.

Means for cushioning the endwise movement of the pinion 27 into engagement with the engine gear 28, and for tending to pre- "vent demeshment of the pinion 27 until after the-engine becomes self-operative, includes a pneumatic cushioning device consisting of a cylinder member or portion 80 provided by the pinion 27, and apiston or plunger portion 81 which is attached to the shaft 24 in any suitable manner, such as by a screwthread-and-pin connection, shown in the drawings. The housing 26 provides a plane bearing surface82 which receives the thrust of the shaft 24 transmitted to it through the flanges 83 of the plunger member 81.

The operation of the invention is as follows: To start the engine the pedal 53 is pressedand motion is transmitted to the pinion 27 through rod 54, lever 55, latch arms 62, lever 30, flange 32 of sleeve 34,

spring 40 and nut 39. Incase the teeth of.

the pinion do not'collidewith the end'faces of the flywheel gear teeth, the pinion'27 will be moved into partial engagement with the gear 28 and then. the motor switch 50 will I be closed by engagement with the plunger 51 of a screw 59 which is adjustably secured to the lever 55. The operation of the motor will cause the pinion 27 to be moved end-,

wise into complete engagement with the engine gear 28, and motion of the pinion will be arrested by its'engagement with the flange 83. During the movement of the lever 55- from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shownin Fig. 2, the latch yoke 61 will strike the throw-out plate 74. As long-as pressure is being transmitted from the pedal 53 to the lever 30 through the latch arms 62, the latch arms W111 not be disconnected from plat'e the lever 30 although the springs may be twisted more than initially, as shown in Fig. 1,-by reason of engagement of the latch yoke 61 with the plate 74. This is due to the fact that the engaging'surfaces of the lever arms 30 and the latcharms 62' are so disposed that the pressure between these surfaces prevents disengagement of the latch from the lever 30 until after this pressure is relieved. When the motor switch is closed so that the motor causes the pinion 27. to move axially independently of the pedal 53,

pressure at the engaging surfaces of the the pinion is moved into engagement with the gear, thespring 40 will be compressed beyond its initial state of compression to permit the pedal 53 to close the motor swi ch 50. The motor will then rotate the pinion into registration-formeshing with the gear 28 and the spring, 40 will be released and will movefthepinicn27 quickly into mesh with the gear 28. h

The pinion recess or cylinder is chem-- fered at 80, and-the plunger 81 is chamfered at 81 to facilitate the telescopic engagement of members 80 and 81 during the endwise movement of the pinion into engagement with the gear. During this engagement the air trapped in the cylinder 80 will be compressed. suddenly, thereby tending to cushion and retard the movement of pinion 27 to the right in Fig. 1. This compression space, however, is vented to atmosphere through the crevices between the internal splines of the pinion 27 and the lui) external splines 23 of the shaft 22. Durtorque necessary to rotate the engine crankshaft diminishes. The cushioning dash potof the present invention tends to prevent demeshmentof the pinion under theseconditions because withdrawal of the cylinder 80 from the plunger 81 tends to create a partial vacuum within the cylinder 80. Therefore, during the cranking operation the cranking may move free toward demeshed position,

I all partly meshing gears are maintained fully in mesh so that the maximum tooth surface is available for transmitting the engine cranking force.

It will be noted that the piston element 81 cooperates only from the full meshed to the partly demeshed position of the pinion and that before the pinion is completely demeshed it.

of the dashpot action. This the result of providing for the pinion free of dash-pot action and works to advantage during the demeshing operation. There is sufficient dash pot operation to prevent axial movement .of the pinion during the cranking construction is operation but the dash-pot action is not sufficient to prevent demeshment of the engine gear when the engine starts under its own power. Although the dash-pot may'retard the demeshing of .thepinion during a certain part of its motion from full meshed the pinion is free of dash-pot operation from a partially demeshed position tov a completely demeshed position so that the pinion may move with sufficient momentum from the gear ,in order to enable the pinion to clear the gear entirely. y

In Fig.- 6, showinga modified form of the invention, the gear housing 90 is pro- -vided with a cylindrical recess 91, providing a pressurecylinderfor receiving a plunger 92 integral with-"a motor pinion 93, which is driven by the spiral splines 23. Telescopic engagement of parts 91 and 92 is facilitated by beveling the edges thereof at 91 and 92 respectively, and endwise movement of part 92 is arrested by a. stop collar 94 at-.

same as that of the device shown in Figs;

1 and 2.

While the forn s of embodiment of the invention as herei disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine starting apparatus comprising a motor; means for connecting the motor with the engine including a pinion movable axially into mesh with a gear connected with the engine, and including provisions whereby, after the pinion has been partly meshed with the engine gear, operation of the motor will complete the meshing of the'pinion with the the pinion to be moved into mesh withthe engine gear. ,and for causing the motor to rotate the pinion, said means including an operating element and a spring for transmitting motion from said element 'to the with the cylinder element 80 'claim 1, in" which the prises a piston and a pinion and movable with the engine gear, manually operable means for causingpinion; and cushioning means for retarding the movement of the'pinion into full mesh with the engine gear, said cushioning means being constructed and arranged to be operative' only after the pinion has been partly mehed with the engine gear.

- 2. Engine starting apparatus according 3. Engine starting apparatus. according to claim 1, in which the cushioning means comprises coacting p stonand cyhnder elements, one of which is movable withthe pinion and engages .the other onl after the pinion has been partly meshed with the engine gear.

4, Engine starting apparatus according to cushioning means comcylinder attached to the endwise with the pinion into engagement with the piston only after the pinion has been partly mesh'ed with the engine gear.

5. Enginestarting apparatus according to claim 1, in whicha shaft supports the pinion for axial and rotary movement and in which the'cushioning means comprises a cylinder provided by a recess in the hub of the pinion, and a piston carried by the shaft, the cylinder being movable into engagement with said piston;

4 6. Engine starting apparatus comprising a motor; a helically splined shaft driven by the motor; a pinion movable along said splines into mesh with the gear'of an engine to. be started and rotatable withthe shaft for'driving said gear; means for moving the pinion into" mesh with the gear and for causing the motor to rotate the shaft; and means for retarding the movement of the pinon into complete .mesh with the gear, saidmeans comprising coacting piston and cylinder elements, one of which is movable with the pinion and the other of which is fixed upon the shaft.

. 7. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 6, in which provided by a recess in the hub of the pinion andthe piston is providedby a pinion stop member fixed to theshaft. 8. Engine starting apparatus a motor; means for connecting with the engine including a pinion movable axially into mesh with a gear connected with the engine, and includin provisions whereby, after the pinion has ieen' partly meshed will complete the meshing of. the pinion with the gear, said provisions tending to 'efiect has been partly meshed with the cylinder element isoperation of the motor demes'hment of the pinion when the engine 1 gear tends to drive the pinion; a manually operable member causing the motor to drive the pinion; a pinion shlfting member nor- U mally connected with the manually operable member; means for automatically disconnecting said members after the pinion has been at least partly meshed with the gear; means for retarding movement of the pinion from part to full mesh with the ear, and tending to maintain the pinion in ull mesh during the cranking operation, and constructed to permit demeshing of the pinion when the engine becomes.self-operati-ve.-

9. Engine starting apparatus comprising a motor; a helically splined shaft operated thereby; a pinion movable along said splines into mesh with the gear of an en he to be started and rotatable with the shaft to drivethe gear; a manually operable member for causing the motor to drive the shaft; a pinion shifting member normally connected with the manually operable member; means for automatically disconnecting said members after the pinion has been at least partly meshed with the gear; and fluid pressure means for; resisting movement of the pinion into and part Way out of mesh with the Cgle ar, said means'comprising coacting cyliner and piston elements which are separated after the pinion has been partly demeshed but before the pinion has been fully demeshed from the gear. p 10. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 9, in which the piston is provided by a pinion stop member fixed to the shaft, and the cylinder is movable with the pinion and engages the stop member only after the pinion is partly meshed with the gear.

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

GEORGE W. ELSEY. 

